Cape for covering the back, with shoulder and hip extensions

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a cape for the beach that features four extensions in the shape of the hide of an animal. The two upper extensions are lead over the shoulders of the wearer and held releasably at a further garment or piece of swim wear in the upper breast area with the help of joining elements. The two lower extensions are lead over the hips and can also be joined releasably with each other in the area of the abdomen with the help of joining elements.  
     Tensile forces emerging from the releasable connection of the extensions in the area of the abdomen let the cape fit tightly to the body. Thus the parts of the body that are especially sensitive and exposed to wind, like shoulders and kidneys, are protected.  
     The cape warms when the swim wear is wet and protects the skin from excessive sun radiation in the area of the shoulders and the back.  
     Moreover, the invention offers an advantage with regard to its processing: because it is made of only one ply no hems or border seams are needed.  
     Also, the cape can be put on quickly by laying it over the back. The wearer does not have to slip into a further piece of outerwear, which is not desired when she or he is at the beach, dressed for swimming or sunbathing.  
     In addition, the wearer has the option of using the cape in several different ways: as a flowing cape, a skirt or in a way similar to a dress.

[0001] The invention concerns a cape made of textile material, forcovering at least the back of the wearer. It features a central mainpart that corresponds approximately to the human back in terms of shapeand size, and which is attached releasably to complementary joiningelements at the cape itself or at other pieces of clothing, with thehelp of joining elements at its sides. According to the invention, thecape is intended especially as a supplementary component for swimwear,in order to protect the wearer from cool wind, at the beach forinstance.

[0002] At the beach, a piece of outerwear, like a sweater for instance,is usually put on when there is a cool wind. Thus the wearer isprotected from the coldness, but also the sunbeams are shielded offcompletely. Besides, articles of outerwear, such as sweaters, are notsuitable for the beach, as they often tend to pick up sand. The insightthat for protecting the wearer from the coldness it is often sufficientto cover the back and possibly the area of the kidneys, forms the basisof the invention. The cape according to the invention serves thispurpose.

[0003] It is characterized by a main part that features, in accordancewith the shape of the back of the wearer, four extensions bulging outfrom it at the shoulders and the hips. At the ends of these extensionsare joining elements. The extensions in the area of the hips have alength which, in addition to the lower border of the main part, exceedthe girth of a human torso. So the cape has more or less the shape ofthe hide of an animal, with two rather short extensions in the area ofthe shoulders and two rather long extensions, sticking out mainly to thesides, in the area of the hips. This shape corresponds to the limbs of afour-legged animal. It can be put on easily and quickly without thewearer having to slip through openings for the arms, legs or the head.As the case may be, the cape might look like a dress worn by the wearerwhen watched from behind.

[0004] “Wearer” may mean persons of both sexes, but the cape isprimarily thought of as a garment for ladies. The cape is suitedespecially for ladies because ladies swim wear features components inthe breast area at which the cape can be fixed with its shoulderextensions.

[0005] Several preferred versions of the cape according to the inventionare characterized in the dependent claims. The two extensions in thearea of the hips of this hide-shaped version are lead together in thearea of the abdomen of the wearer and joined with each other releasably.By the connection of the lower ends of the cape at its front the capefits tightly on the sides and on the back of the wearer because of theresulting tensile forces. Preferably soft, elastic material is used forthis cape. With the help of additional pieces of elastic in certainareas at the sides of the garment the cape fits perfectly on the body ofthe wearer.

[0006] While even in sunshine the humidity of a swim suit or a lightbreeze may make the wearer chill and may even cause damage to herhealth, the wearer is able to protect the parts of the body that areespecially sensitive and exposed to wind and weather without having tochange clothes completely or having to put on different clothes, whichis not desired normally when somebody is at the beach, dressed forswimming or sunbathing.

[0007] Another advantage of the cape is the fact that, because of itsparticular shape, seams which usually keep a garment like a dress, forinstance, in its hose-like shape can be avoided. Nowadays there are manynew types of material that can be cut out without fraying or releasingthreads. By using such types of material and because of the flatness ofthe garment according to the invention setting border seams or hemsbecome redundant, except at the points at which the releasable joiningelements and perhaps the additional pieces of elastic in certainsections are fixed.

[0008] Apart from the advantages of the cape according to the inventionwith regard to its processing, it also offers the advantage of numerouspossibilities of use: firstly as an open cape, for example when thereleasable fastenings at the abdomen are kept open and the extensions inthe area of the hips are not joined with each other over the abdomen;secondly as an actual dress that only stays open at the front in thebreast area when the upper joining elements are closed releasably in thebreast area and the lower joining elements at the abdomen; and finallyas a slitted skirt, when the two shoulder extensions are not fixedreleasably in the upper breast area of the wearer but when the garmentis simply held by the tensile forces of the fastened hip extensions, andits upper part at the back of the wearer falls from the hips over thethighs on the backside of the wearer.

[0009] In the following, the invention will be explained in more detailon the basis of several examples of possible versions of the inventionwith reference to the drawing. The following diagrams showschematically:

[0010] Diagram 1 top view of the inside of a cape in spread out state;

[0011] Diagram 2 front view of a cape according to a modified version ofthe invention, with clip fasteners, on a presentation stand;

[0012] Diagram 3 rear view of the setup of diagram 2;

[0013] Diagram 4 side view of the setup of diagram 2;

[0014] Diagram 5 rear view of a cape worn in such a manner that it isnot fastened in the upper areas, resulting in the appearance of a skirt;

[0015] Diagram 6 side view of a cape that is worn in such a manner thatit is not closed in the lower areas, resulting in the appearance ofcloak hanging down.

[0016] Diagram 1 shows a cape 1 in the form of a textile cut, consistingof elastic material that is stretchable and does not fray, in a way thatit can be just cut out or stamped out without having to use seams andhems. The shape of its pattern can be regarded as being subdivided intoa central, roughly rectangular main part 2, two upper shoulderextensions 3, which lie on the shoulders of the wearer, and twoextensions in the lower area of the garment, which are in the area ofthe hips 4 of the wearer.

[0017] The extensions 3 emerge from the main part 2 essentially in itsvertical longitudinal direction when the cape is worn, which means atthe short side of the rectangle. The extensions 4 emerge from the sides,at the long side of the rectangle, but in the lower area where they spanabout a third of the long sides of the main part 2. The long sides ofthe main part 2 in this area are only imaginary geometricalsubdivisions. The textile material does not have seams or other lines inthe material in these areas.

[0018] In the displayed model, the shoulder extensions 3 are gathered alittle, and at each of its ends is a joining element 5 in the form of ahook. The extensions in the area of the hips 4 lie flat on the ground.They have rounded borders which form a steady transition from the sideborders of the main part 2 on the one hand, and a steady transition fromthe lower short border of the main part 2 on the other hand. The curvesof the borders of these extensions 4 are convex in the same directionand they meet in a rounded point, in the area of which one joiningelement 6 at each side is situated. The joining elements 6 of the cape1, which face each other, are complementary to each other and they aredesigned in a way that they can be joined with each other releasably,for instance in the form of hooks, snap links, poppers, screws, clips,magnets, or Velcro. But they can also have the form of bands or stringsthat can be joined with each other releasably with a loop.

[0019] At both sides of the cape 1, in the middle area of the main part2, pieces of elastic are incorporated.

[0020] The cape 1 is put on at the back of the wearer who is alreadywearing a garment like a swimsuit that features rings in the breastarea, or other joining elements that can be grabbed by the hook 5,including loops, strings or bands, on which hooks can be hung. Theextensions 3 are laid over the shoulders to the front and are fastenedthere. The area between the shoulder extensions 3 is rounded and liesaround the onset of the neck.

[0021] After that, the extensions in the area of the hips 4 are wrappedaround the body and joined with the help of the joining elements 6. Whenan elastic type of material is used for the cape, good fit on the bodyis achieved by the joining elements 6 and the borders of the extensions4 having a certain distance from each other when the material is notstretched. So, in order to close the joining elements, the extensionshave to be pulled together, which causes them to overlap a little.

[0022] Thus tensile forces on the material are created, which lets thegarment fit tightly on the body of the wearer. Thus the cape is put onand the parts of the body that are sensitive to coldness, namely theback and the area of the kidneys, are covered.

[0023] The cape can be put on and off effortlessly and quickly. When thecape itself is folded it becomes very small and can therefore betransported easily.

[0024] Diagram 2 shows the cape on a presentation stand 11, like on atorso or mannequin that is already clothed with a two-piece swimsuit 12.In the version in diagram 2 the upper joining elements 5 are drawn in adifferent version at one side. In this case not a hook but a clip isused, as it can often be found at suspenders or garter belts etc. Thejoining elements according to diagrams 1 and 2 are again only examplesfor the numerous possibilities of connecting pieces of clothing that areknown to the expert. So the cape displayed in the diagrams features thetwo extensions 3 at the top of the hide-like shape with a curve in thearea of the neck lying between, and two rather long extensions 4 closeto its lower end. The extensions 3 are lead over the shoulders to theupper breast area of the wearer and are knotted together there; or theyare held at the garment 12 underneath the cape by the releasable joiningelements 5, which can be attached to both the upper extensions 3 of thecape 1, as well as to the garment 12, in the upper breast area.

[0025] The lower extensions 4 can be joined directly with each otherwith the help of the releasable joining elements 6, or with the help ofa bar (not displayed in the diagram) at which the releasable joiningelements 6 are fastened. Because the joining elements 6 are joined onlywhen the elastic material is stretched, a stretching of the whole areaof the cape above them is effected, which lets the cape fit tightly onthe body. In addition, the pieces of elastic 7 in certain areas hold thecape closely to the body.

[0026] The displayed cape 1 has a flat shape and can be worn withouthems and border seams because a sewing together of parts of the materialis not necessary. That is also why no hems for covering possible seamsat the borders are needed because, as mentioned above, a type ofmaterial that does not fray at all, or only a little, is used in thedescribed example.

[0027] Diagram 3 shows the cape 1 put on on the back of the wearer orthe presentation stand 11. In this perspective the option of wearing thecape as a dress is shown. The pieces of elastic 7 ensure that thegarment fits tightly on the body and they also prevent a possible airdraft from affecting the skin.

[0028] Diagram 5 shows the cape 1 with its upper part hanging down. Thehooks 5 are pulled upwards and hung in the upper folding of the capethat has emerged from letting the cape hang down. So it has theappearance of a skirt when watched from behind. Alternatively, thewearer can also let the extensions hang down over the thighs so thatthey fall over the part of the cape that is already hanging down at theback.

[0029] According to diagram 6 the cape 1 also offers the option ofletting it “flow” over the back without stretching it around the body orfixing it at other points apart from the two joining elements 5.

1. Cape (1) made of textile material for covering at least the back of awearer, with a central main part (2) in a shape and size correspondingapproximately to the shape and size of a human back; featuring joiningelements at the borders of the garment (5, 6), for releasable connectionwith complementary joining elements situated either also at the cape orat other garments; characterized by featuring altogether four extensions(3, 4) bulging out from the main part (2), corresponding to the shape ofthe back, in the area of the shoulders and in the area of the hips; atthe ends of the extensions, situated most distant from the main part,joining elements (5, 6) are situated. The extensions in the area of thehips (4), in addition with the lower border of the main part, have alength corresponding to the girth of the human torso.
 2. Cape as inclaim 1 as the part of a further garment (12) that features componentsin the breast area; the cape is characterized by the extensions in thearea of the shoulders (3) having a length reaching from the area of theshoulders of the main part (2) to the contact area of the components ofthe further garment in the breast area where the joining elements thatare complementary to the joining elements (5) at the extensions (3) aresituated.
 3. Cape as in claim 2, characterized by the further garment(12) being a ladies garment that features rings serving as joiningelements in the breast area, at which garment-components in the form ofstripes are sewed on, and by the joining elements (5) at the shoulderextensions (3) of the cape being hooks that can be hung into the rings.4. Cape as in claim 2, characterized by the joining elements (5) at theextensions in the area of the shoulders (3) being clip braces. Theborders of the textile material of the garment-components in the breastarea (12) are the complementary joining elements of the clip braces. 5.Cape as in one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized by the extensions inthe area of the hips (4) bulging out essentially sideways from the mainpart (2), and the extensions in the area of the shoulders (3) bulgingout from the main part (2) essentially in vertical direction, accordingto the longitudinal axis of a standing person.
 6. Cape as in claim 5,characterized by the extensions in the area of the hips (4) emergingfrom the bottom of the main part (2) on the one hand and on the otherhand from a point that lies between ¼ and ½ of the extent of the mainpart on the longitudinal axis bottom-up.
 7. Cape as in claim 5 or 6,characterized by the upper border of the extensions in the area of thehips (4) running in the course of the extent on the longitudinal axis ofthe main part (2) from its border in a steady curve.
 8. Cape as inclaims 5 to 7, characterized by the lower border of the extensions inthe area of the hips (4) running as a prolongation of the lower borderof the main part (2) sideways from it, and running upwards from there ina steady curve.
 9. Cape as in claim 8, characterized by the upper borderand the lower border of the extensions in the area of the hips (4) eachjoining in a point and by the joining elements (6), which can be joinedwith each other releasably, being situated in the area of the pointsfacing one another.
 10. Cape as in one of the claims 1 to 9,characterized by being made of elastic material.
 11. Cape as in one ofthe claims 1 to 10, characterized by containing pieces of elastic (7) incertain areas.
 12. Cape as in claim 11, characterized by featuring twopieces of elastic (7) that are incorporated in the areas at the twosides of the main part (2).
 13. Cape as in one of the claims 1 to 12,characterized by being free of seams and hems.